New Energy Academy launched to boost climate skills

E.ON has launched its ‘New Energy Academy‘, a free educational programme designed to empower students with the skills and inspiration needed to lead the charge toward a more sustainable future.

The New Energy Academy introduces students to vast and evolving sustainability-focused roles, expanding beyond traditional STEM careers to include marketing, data science, artificial intelligence and more. With sustainability at the core of many future professions, this programme emphasises the critical intersection of creativity, technology and leadership in building a greener world.

Through hands-on activities and inspiring videos led by young professionals at E.ON, students see how their skills can make a difference in addressing climate challenges. From creative problem-solving to teamwork and communication, each activity immerses participants in real-world contexts that prepare them for green careers.

At the heart of the programme are engaging, skill-building activities tailored to inspire action and innovation. Students participate in dynamic activities that challenge them to design forward-thinking solutions, such as sustainable city prototypes, and pitch their ideas to peers. These activities not only foster critical employability skills but also ignite a sense of agency as students envision themselves as future leaders and innovators.

Teachers benefit too, with resources co-developed by practising teachers to ensure seamless integration into secondary teaching. Assemblies, PSHE lessons and STEM-focused materials align with updated Gatsby Benchmarks, making it easy to bring real-world sustainability themes into the classroom.

Naomi Furlonger, E.ON UK’s Early Careers Talent Consultant said: “We’ve just welcomed our 1,000th apprentice to E.ON and are proud to be building the green workforce needed to ensure we deliver a net zero future. And we hope our new programme will help to educate, inspire and motivate young people and teachers to find out more how rewarding a green career can be.”

“Our New Energy Academy is about more than education – it’s about empowerment,” said Scott Somerville, Director of External Affairs at E.ON UK. “We want young people to feel confident in their ability to lead the way to a new energy world, equipped with the skills and passion to make a real difference.

From 3 March to 23 May 2025, schools can participate in an exciting competition to celebrate the sustainability trailblazers who inspire their students. Teachers can guide their students to create submissions, which will be entered by the school. The most inspiring entries will earn the school a visit from Fara Williams MBE, a football legend, paired with an engaging live green skills workshop delivered by our partner, Hark. For competition terms and conditions, please see here.

Teachers can integrate this challenge into lessons or assign it as homework, offering flexible and engaging opportunity for schools to explore sustainability topics. This comes at a crucial time, as nearly half of UK teachers (49%) report lacking confidence in teaching sustainability and climate change effectively, while about 70% have expressed the need for more professional development in integrating green skills into their lessons2.

Furthermore, the updated Gatsby Benchmarks require teachers to ensure they link teaching to careers and pathway options while delivering meaningful business encounters across multiple years. By providing practical resources and structured support, E.ON’s New Energy Academy aims to bridge this gap, aligning with these benchmarks and empowering teachers to inspire their students with future-focused skills.

Recent research from E.ON found that half of people (49%) want to develop the skills needed to thrive in a greener future, while 27% want a career that contributes to tackling the climate crisis. The New Energy Academy aims to support young people develop the skills to succeed in a more sustainable future and understand the opportunities available to build a green career.

The New Energy Academy is open to all secondary students and offers a wealth of free resources to inspire and prepare young people for a sustainable future.

To learn more, enter the competition and register your school, visit eonenergy.com/new-energy-academy.